For the FW23 season, the Just Around the Corner (JATC) show returned to Manchester to bring northern UK retailers closer to the collections to order. The men’s fashion area of the fair was compared to the women’s fashion relatively small but offered a good mix of clothing categories – from sportswear to formal wear. FashionUnited has collected some of the trends that have stood out in the menswear collections.
Flannel shirts
Flannel shirts are an essential part of the Autumn/Winter collections and this also applies to the collections shown during JATC. From sportswear brands to elegant menswear labels, flannel has featured in almost every collection. While most stuck with the signature checked patterns, some opted for colorful variants that offered a slight twist on the design. Popular hues included camouflage green, brown and light blue, often paired with neutral tones to make the lines more wearable. There were also variations in material thickness for each brand, with some opting for thicker fabrics while others offering thinner materials that can be worn across seasons.
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Gilets, also known as waistcoats, have been an essential piece of clothing for many of the sportswear and casual brands. They were typically displayed in stalls where they were layered over hoodies and t-shirts to add another layer to an outfit. Some exhibitors offered padded and quilted waistcoats, others took inspiration from uniforms and workwear and presented models decorated with multiple pockets or mesh panels. The gilet has already cemented its place as a trend piece by appearing in catwalk collections and with its prominent place at JATC it looks set to continue to command retail attention in the year to come.
Retro sportswear
Sportswear was showcased by many brands at JATC for the coming season. When designing their collections, they were often inspired by past decades and their archives. The event featured retro track jackets, varsity and bomber jackets, and graphic sweaters reminiscent of 70’s and 80’s sportswear. This was especially true for the Sergio Tacchini label, which presented a whole collection of retro designs. This also included looks inspired by their own archive. This was also evident in the use of the historic ’66 logo embroidered on various jackets.
Printed fleece
Another trend that found its way into many sportswear collections was printed fleece, adding to the retro trend. The prints used on various fleece models consisted of monogram logos, abstract geometric patterns and camouflage prints, often using khaki tones. They contrasted with others who used bolder tones for their own designs. Some fabrics were particularly thin, allowing them to be worn as a layer under outerwear during the colder months.
Heritage polo shirts
The trend towards retro sportswear also led many brands to revisit the polo shirt, albeit in a modernized form. Some brands, including British mod label Lambretta, showed knitted variants of the design. Brands like Fila also took a traditional approach, using archival logos and prints that revived their sporting heritage.
This article was similarly published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ